1 John 4:7-11: Beloved, let us love one another for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten son into the world, that we might live through Him. IN THIS IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON TO BE THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
I remember when we were in primary classes, we were always afraid of exercise, especially for a subject like mathematics, because our teachers like to use the easiest equation as examples, they solved the easiest and gave us the hardest as exercise. And if it was much, the rest would be turned to assignments because they knew we would get help with the most difficult ones at home. That was the trend while growing up, class examples were less difficult than class exercises.
Let me burst your bubble, God is not like your class teacher, He solved the most difficult equation of love as an example to teach us how to handle less difficult exercise. God demonstrated love first, and showed us how to love. John 15:13- GREATER LOVE HAS NO ONE THAN THIS, THAN TO LAY DOWN ONE’s LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.
Jesus solved the most difficult love equation, the world He came to save was a sinful one, if God had to wait for us to be perfect before He sent Christ, He would have to wait till eternity and still wouldn’t have found one.GOD LOVES US BECAUSE HE IS LOVE NOT BECAUSE WE ARE LOVELY. Grace would cease to be Grace if we had to be perfect before we were saved. Unconditional love of God is an expression of His grace to us. Paul knew and appreciated this all the way, He said in 1Timothy 1:13-14- although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief, and The Grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with Faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
I have learnt that people who are forgiven much always love much, and they eventually become better communicator of the gospel unlike religious people who think God’s love towards them is based on their good works right from their mother’s womb, my dear, renew your mind.
God’s love towards us is independent of our performance, God won’t promote you or make you his favourite, based on your good works but based on Christ. God accepted us in Christ not in our works. Waiting for people to be perfect before you love them is wrong, you are to express the love of God to men whether they deserve it or not, but because God also loved you when you were undeserving and His love for you can never change. You forgive others because you have been forgiven, you give to people because God gave you His most precious gift. Love should be your motivation for everything, Not conditions. Christ came to save sinners including men who thought they were righteous…..buhahaaa.
No matter what people have done to you in the past, everytime, the hurtful memories come, always remember the sufferings of Christ for you on the cross, remember the nails and stripes, how he endured the cross, remember how Satan and His host first thought to deal with Him in help because He had became sin, your sin, remember how God laid on Him your sins and it’s consequences, not because you derserved it but because He loved.
If there are people you need to release in your heart, now is the time. You can say this prayer, Lord Jesus, I thank you because you died for me, not because I was qualified for it, I forgive ———-(mention the name) because you forgave me. I choose to walk in love with——- because you first loved me. The sacrifice of the cross is greater than what ——-did to me, I magnify your love towards them than the hurt I have received from them. I thank you because I am a love being and I abound in love towards——–.
You just made a beautiful decision because resentment always hurt you more than the person you resent. You just removed yourself from a bondage, cos that is what unforgiveness does to us. It puts us (not the other party) in bondage. It sears your conscience and prevents you from hearing God, it motivates you to wrong actions and corrupts your fountain, it sure does more harm than good. I welcome you to freedom!!!!
